The IPREM (indicador público de renta de efectos múltiples) is a state income indicator used in Spain to calculate thresholds for social benefits, free legal aid and several types of residence permit. In 2026 the IPREM is €600 a month and €7,200 a year. Below: where this amount comes from, why it has not changed since 2023, how the IPREM differs from the minimum wage and where people who move to Spain need it.
What the IPREM is in 2026
| IPREM | Amount |
|---|---|
| per day | €20 |
| per month | €600 |
| per year | €7,200 (12 payments) |
| per year, where the law has replaced the minimum wage with it in an annual calculation | €8,400 (including two extra payments) |
The amounts are set by the State Budget Act for 2023 (additional provision 90). The IPREM is set by the budget act, and no new budgets were passed for 2024, 2025 or 2026, so the 2023 budget remains in force, and with it the previous IPREM.
How the IPREM differs from the minimum wage
They are constantly confused, although they are different figures for different purposes. The minimum interprofessional wage (SMI) is the lower limit of pay; in 2026 it is €1,221 a month over 14 payments, and it is used, for example, to calculate the income threshold for the digital nomad visa — €2,849 a month. The IPREM is a reference indicator for social thresholds; it is noticeably lower and is notionally paid 12 times a year.
Where the IPREM is used
- Non-lucrative residence permit. You need income of at least 400% of the IPREM — €2,400 a month — for the main applicant and a further 100% — €600 — for each family member: for a couple that is €3,000. Details on the non-lucrative residence permit page.
- Student visa. Living funds are proven at the rate of 100% of the IPREM — €600 a month; for studies of a year or more — €7,200. On the requirements, see our article on the student visa.
- Arraigo (settlement) based on social ties. If the ground is family ties with resident foreigners, you must prove funds of at least 100% of the IPREM (regulation RD 1155/2024, Article 127). On this ground, see our article on the arraigo residence permit.
- Free legal aid. You are entitled to it if a single person’s annual income does not exceed two IPREMs — €14,400; for a family of up to four the threshold is 2.5 IPREMs, and for a family of four or more, three IPREMs (Law 1/1996, Article 3).
- Social benefits and concessions — many regional and state payments, discounts and grants are tied to a multiple of the IPREM.
Is there a subsistence minimum in Spain
Spain has no official subsistence minimum in the Russian sense. Four different indicators do that job instead, each with its own meaning:
- IPREM — the reference indicator for benefits and thresholds: €600 a month.
- SMI — the minimum wage, the Spanish equivalent of Russia’s MROT: €1,221 a month over 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026).
- Ingreso Mínimo Vital — the minimum guaranteed income (Law 19/2021). For a single adult in 2026 the guaranteed amount is €733.60 a month; the benefit pays the difference between that amount and the person’s income. The recipient must be at least 23, and a foreign national must have lived in Spain legally and continuously for at least one year before applying, with exceptions for victims of violence and human trafficking.
- The at-risk-of-poverty threshold — a statistic, not a legal rule: according to INE, €12,220.4 a year for a single person (2025 Living Conditions Survey, 2024 income). 19.5% of Spain’s population lives below it. No benefits or income requirements are tied to it.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the IPREM in 2026?
€600 a month, €7,200 a year and €20 a day. Where the law has replaced the minimum wage with the IPREM in an annual calculation, the annual IPREM is €8,400.
Why has the IPREM not changed since 2023?
The IPREM is set by the State Budget Act, and no new budgets were passed for 2024–2026. So the 2023 budget, with an IPREM of €600 a month, remains in force.
How does the IPREM differ from the SMI?
The SMI is the minimum wage: in 2026 it is €1,221 a month over 14 payments, and the digital nomad visa threshold is calculated from it. The IPREM is an indicator for social thresholds and the non-lucrative residence permit, and it is lower.
How much money do you need for the non-lucrative residence permit?
400% of the IPREM — €2,400 a month for the main applicant — plus €600 for each family member.
Is there a subsistence minimum in Spain?
There is no official subsistence minimum. There is the IPREM for benefits and thresholds, the SMI minimum wage and the Ingreso Mínimo Vital minimum guaranteed income — €733.60 a month for a single adult in 2026.
What is the minimum wage (MROT) in Spain?
The Spanish equivalent of the Russian MROT is the SMI, salario mínimo interprofesional. In 2026 it is €1,221 a month over 14 payments; the amount was set by Real Decreto 126/2026 and applies from 1 January to 31 December 2026.
Is the annual IPREM €7,200 or €8,400?
Usually €7,200. The €8,400 figure applies only where a rule previously referred to the minimum wage in an annual calculation including extra payments and was replaced with the IPREM.
Sources
- Ley 31/2022, de Presupuestos Generales del Estado para el año 2023 — additional provision 90. BOE-A-2022-22128.
- Real Decreto 1155/2024, Reglamento de extranjería. BOE-A-2024-24099.
- Ley 1/1996, de asistencia jurídica gratuita — Article 3. BOE-A-1996-750.
